Technical Coordinator / Epidemiologist for MULTIPLY project

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) is a cutting-edge institute addressing global public health challenges through research, translation into policy and education. ISGlobal has a broad portfolio in communicable and non-communicable diseases including environmental and climate determinants, and applies a multidisciplinary scientific approach ranging from the molecular to the population level. Research is organized in the following main areas, Malaria and other Infectious Diseases, Maternal, Child and reproductive Health, Urban Health and Child and environmental health, Climate & Non-Communicable Diseases. ISGlobal is accredited with the Severo Ochoa distinction, a seal of excellence of the Spanish Science Ministry.

Lugar

Barcelona

What We Are Looking for

ISGlobal is seeking an experienced Epidemiologist who is interested in working in the project “MULTIple doses of IPTi, (MULTIPLY)”. MULTIPLY is a multi-country implementation project, which includes public and private European and African institutions aiming at maximising the delivery and uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi), to achieve full potential and effectiveness of this intervention. It will be carried out in selected country districts of Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Togo.

The project

The 40 month project, which started in May 2021, is funded by the European and Developing Countries Trial Partnership (EDCTP) and coordinated by ISGlobal, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, in partnership with the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France, the Fundaçao Manhiça (FM), Mozambique, the University of Lomé (UL), Togo, the University of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone and the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Switzerland.

The consortium will work closely with the Ministries of Health in Sierra Leone, Togo and Mozambique, the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as other stakeholders, to ensure that all project outputs are met.

MULTIPLY will generate evidence for change and expand access to preventive chemotherapy for malaria in infants in sub-Saharan Africa applying a community-based approach that fosters partnership and strengthens the dynamic link between communities and health facilities, especially for the most vulnerable people. A learning-driven approach will be employed throughout the project to generate sufficient evidence to inform WHO policy recommendations and future actions in each country, in an effort to expand the intervention over the long-term.

ISGlobal is the lead evaluation and research organization and is responsible for implementing a set of studies to generate evidence for global guidance on IPTi. Specifically, ISGlobal is responsible for designing and implementing the project’s evaluation plan, as well as designing, analysing and reporting the clinical and operational research studies to assess the effectiveness and impact of the intervention, including its feasibility of the intervention through the EPI.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop study protocols, source documents and other technical documents in collaboration with local counterparts
• Support and supervise the monitoring and evaluation of IPTi implementation and related research studies in the project countries
• Supervise data collection activities
• Support all operational research activities
• Coordinate, supervise and perform training activities with local counterparts as required
• Perform priority research and analysis
• Quality assurance for the data analysis leading to reporting and scientific publication
• Interact with colleagues from ISGlobal, and local counterparts in project countries
• Prepare documents for different meetings and research conferences as required
• Support in the elaboration of progress reports, workplans and other documents as required
• Report his/her activities of the project
• Scientific writing of manuscripts derived of the research activities

DUTIES

Under the guidance of the MULTIPLY Project Director and Project Manager the candidate will be expected to:

• Conduct and supervise the training in the project countries
• Interact with local counterparts’ implementing team in the project countries
• Prepare and present reports of the activities and field trips
• Travel to project countries to implement and supervise the monitoring, evaluation and research activities of the project
• Carry out any other duties that are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job, as requested

COMPETENCES

Qualifications:

• Advanced University degree in biomedical sciences
• Master or PhD studies in Epidemiology or Public Health

Experience:

• At least 3 years of experience working in epidemiology
• Ideally, experience in monitoring and evaluation of health interventions
• Ideally, work experience in low-middle income countries
• Ideally, experience in health systems research

Required competencies:

• Full-time schedule and exclusive dedication
• A very good command (advanced level) of the English language; a working knowledge (intermediate level) of Portuguese and French is a plus
• Knowledge of Spanish or Catalan is a plus
• Writing ability to elaborate high-quality and concise technical reports
• Ability of initiative, coordination and team work in multicultural environments, and to interact with staff at project countries, at governmental organizations and NGOs
• Flexibility, open to new ideas and new working methods, adapt positively to change, exchange views and opinions with colleagues.
• Able to work independently while understanding his/her own limits
• Oriented to train and transfer knowledge to biomedical staff in African contexts
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, STATA (or similar statistical packages), communication applications and Web technologies

Desirable:

• Ability to adapt to new environments, work effectively as part of the team and use own initiative when required
• Ability to design and develop activities, to achieve milestones and specific deliverables, and to meet deadlines
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• To have a genuine interest in biomedical research of infectious diseases, capacity building and global development

We offer

• Full-time position, office-based in Barcelona
• Fixed-term contract for all project length
• Salary according to the candidate profile and project budget